Trail Blazers finish strong, hold off Celtics

Field Level Media|published: Sun 28th December, 21:02 2025

Dec 28, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) goes up for a shot under pressure from under pressure from Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23), guard Rayan Rupert (21), and forward Kris Murray (24) during the first half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images

Shaedon Sharpe scored 26 points and Deni Avdija added 24 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds to help the host Portland Trail Blazers stun the Boston Celtics 114-108 on Sunday.

Toumani Camara scored 20 points and Donovan Clingan recorded 18 points and 18 rebounds as the Trail Blazers halted a three-game skid. Caleb Love scored 18 off the bench as Portland also snapped a six-game losing streak against the Celtics.

Jaylen Brown had 37 points and seven rebounds for Boston, which saw a four-game winning streak end. Brown has scored at least 30 in all nine of his appearances this month.

Hugo Gonzalez and former Trail Blazer Anfernee Simons added 13 points apiece for Boston. Derrick White scored 12 and Neemias Queta added 11.

Love drained a 3-pointer to give the Trail Blazers a 103-100 advantage with 4:30 remaining.

Boston later pulled within 109-108 on White's 3-pointer with 43 seconds left.

Clingan's three-point play with 22 seconds left again gave Portland a four-point advantage.

After a Boston timeout, White turned the ball over with a bad pass.

Avdija made two free throws with 15 seconds left to make a six-point margin and the Trail Blazers closed it out to improve to 1-3 on a five-game homestand.

The Trail Blazers made 47.2% of their field-goal attempts and were 18 of 51 from distance. Sharpe made 5 of 8 from 3-point range.

Boston shot 44% from the field, including 13 of 44 from behind the arc.

Brown scored 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting in the first half as Boston held a 63-55 lead. Sharpe had 15 in the half for Portland.

The Celtics led by 10 early in the third quarter before the Trail Blazers responded with a 14-2 push. Avdija's jumper capped it and gave Portland a 69-67 lead.

Avdija later drained a trey to give the Trail Blazers an 83-77 lead with 2:07 remaining.

Simons scored eight straight points to put Boston up by two before Sharpe connected on a 3-pointer with 31 seconds to go and Portland took an 86-85 lead into the final stanza.

Portland led 98-92 after Camara's 3-pointer with 6:31 left in the game before Sam Hauser and Gonzalez connected on treys to tie it with 5:33 left.

--Field Level Media

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